Creating my meditation space has been super fun! Right now the space is super simple and I like the minimal look of it.. However, in the future I do plan to add some artwork! Creating a meditation space doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. You really don’t even need all the things pictured, you can meditate anywhere as long as you have your breath. If you want to be consistent in a meditation practice I think it helps to have a dedicated space. Creating that space is all about catering to the 5 senses. Sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste. Im going to simply explain what I mean below.

• Sight- You want a beautiful space, yes but you also want something you can focus on maybe its a picture of black Jesus or a Buddha statue.. or maybe you want to close your eyes so eye pillows or an eye mask may be helpful
• Smell- Whatever your choice if aromatherapy is go for it. Incense, sage, essential oils, candles, etc
• Hearing- Sound Bowl, Yoga Playlist, Gong, water fountain. Sounds that are calming and relaxing.
• Taste- Water or tea (is optional but I like to have it nearby)
• Touch- Mala Beads, blankets, pillows, cushions, or just your hands touching your heart, or hands touching each other

Although there are a lot fo different things that could go on in your meditation space, I think these 3 are absolutely necessary! A rug, a plant or something from nature and some type of aromatherapy!!!

A rug – Rugs separate spaces. The same way when you step on your yoga mat you know what time it is. When I step on this rug I know what time it is. Choose a rug that is comfortable and that can be easily cleaned! My rug is a lightweight rug from Ikea. I like it because its washable and just the right size and price.

A plant– Having something from nature is something most people say is optional but I think it is definitely a must have! Having something from nature in the space helps to you grounded. I think the type of plant is important as well. Don’t just go for looks here. If you want a bunch of plants that’s great but I do think a few of them should be air purifying plants!

Aromatherapy– Aromatherapy is the cheapest type of therapy you can get! lol The aroma components from natural products have been used for mental, spiritual and physical healing since the beginning of recorded history. Smells and scents can affect your mood. Whatever scents you are drawn to put them in your space. I recommend going for all natural scents and products!! No Febreze, Air Wicks, or perfume here!! We want clean pure air.. Try some natural incense, sage or Palo Santo, a diffuser, reed sticks, herb sachets, or candles.. You actually have a lot of options here!! Honestly once you stop using all the fake stuff you probably won’t ever go back to the fake chemical laden smells.

Heyy Boo Thang! I’m excited about this post! Maybe because its about Yoga and Sewing! Two of my favorite things!!! I used all my fabric scraps and made a meditation cushion. This year I wanted a dedicated mediation space and this cushion is the first thing I added to it!

I feel like I’ll probabaly have to do a whole series on meditation and creating a mediation space because there is so much I want to say! lol So first things first some of you may be wondering, what exactly is meditation?

This is a definition of Mediation from the National Institute of Health.

“Meditation is a mind and body practice that has a long history of use for increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being. Mind and body practices focus on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, and behavior.

There are many types of meditation, but most have four elements in common: a quiet location with as few distractions as possible; a specific, comfortable posture (sitting, lying down, walking, or in other positions); a focus of attention (a specially chosen word or set of words, an object, or the sensations of the breath); and an open attitude (letting distractions come and go naturally without judging them).”

Meditation is amazing and I suggest everyone start a meditation practice. Start with 5 minutes of mindful breathing a day. Before making this cushion I usually would just sit without one.. However, using a cushion is much more comfortable and I’m able to sit longer. If you feel sore, can’t sit too long, or can’t seem to stick to a meditation practice try getting a meditation cushion/pillow.

Meditation pillows have been used for centuries and yes you can use a regular pillow but it is not the same as a meditation cushion. Meditation cushions are usually filled firmer than regular pillows to allow for some added height to the pillow. A popular stuffing for meditation pillows is buckwheat hulls, however those can be kind of pricey if you are trying to fill an oversized cushion like mines.Instead I used fabric scraps. Using fabric scraps allows the cushion to be firm, have height, and support your spine.

Disclaimer: I do not think a cushion filled with fabric scraps is a replacement to one with buckwheat hulls. Although this one is pretty heavy and firm, the ones with buckwheat hulls will hold their shape better and for a longer period of time. So, I say if you have nothing use a pillow, that’s good, if you can make a cushion with scraps that’s better, if you can add buckwheat hulls or buy a pre-made one, that is best!

Here are a few benefits of using a meditation pillow:

• Pain relief in your joints/Increased comfort
• Portable/ Take it anywhere
• Longer meditation time
• Increased stability & flexibility
• Having a dedicated meditation space & more consistency
• Allow you to sit in the proper posture

I feel like I’ve always been pretty consistent with my meditation practice but having a dedicated space makes my practice more personal, the space is aesthetically pleasing, and just stepping on the mat lets me know its time to calm down. I didn’t really follow a specific tutorial to make this. It is 2 circles with a band in the middle to give it the extra height. I traced a sunhat for my circle. You can literally use any circle shaped item you want. My band is about 4-5 inches wide and I added an extra strip of fabric for the strap so it is easy to carry. You can also add a zipper if you want a removable/washable cover.

Please let me know if you make a meditation cushion or start a meditation practice this year!

Namaste!

This is a SUPER EASY and inexpensive craft! Those are my favorite kind! lol I never knew there was a whole world of people who use items from the Dollar Tree to create home decor! I’ve seen people create some cute decor and I’ve been inspired! I do believe your home/ living space affects your energy and your mood. Even if you don’t have a lot of money you can still create a space that is a reflection of you! As much as I would love to ball out at Home Goods, Target, and Anthropologie for home decor… I can’t just yet lol.. In the meantime I buy pieces from these stores here and there that I like and mix them in with D.I.Y items. I would suggest you go with essential items you know you aren’t going to make from these stores like throw blankets, comforters, headboards, lamps, wall art, larger furniture items.. Etc. If you can’t do big items buy some smaller items you think are cute or fit in with your decor like mugs, bookends, shelving, storage baskets, pillow covers, throw blankets, and plants!

If you mix the high and low items I feel like you get a perfect mix of modern, boho, chic. Which is what I love… So getting into the post. The Dollar Tree has small plain wooden boxes. Well it’s actually a little drawer but it is a small wooden box. I painted the box with black acrylic paint. I had a dowel already, from a previous project, however I would suggest using a dowel that is a bit thicker than this one, it will support your jute circle better! The Dollar Tree also sells dowels. You can also use a stand from another item you aren’t using anymore. I saw someone do this and put it on a metal stand, it was really cute.

Next, decide if you want to add trim, beads, string, fringe, or paint! As I mentioned I left this one really simple and didn’t add anything, that is how I was able to keep the cost at $2. lol I use a scrap piece of cardboard and hot glue the rope onto the cardboard, in a circle, and then cut the cardboard circle out. Next you glue your circle onto the dowel. Then glue your dowel onto the wooden box. Try not to use too much glue when gluing the dowel to the box, if you have a small bit of excess glue surrounding the bottom, wait until it dries and paint over it! That’s it!

What do you think? Would you add this to your space? Right now it is on a shelf in my sewing area!

Hey Boo Thang, Thanks for stopping by my blog! Getting right into it this post is all about the basket wall I created in my living room. You may have seen basket walls floating around on Pinterest. I feel like it’s pretty trendy in home decor right now. Pinterest sparked this basket wall idea for me and some pictures of my inspiration are below.

When I decided I wanted to make this wall I ended up going down a rabbit hole and researching everything about baskets and how they are made. The history behind baskets is very interesting and our ancestors used them for many things. I know when you think of our ancestors and baskets an image of a woman holding one on top of her head may come to mind.

Carrying on the head is a common practice in many parts of the world. In addition to balancing things like food and water in the baskets on our heads, we also made the baskets! Basket Making is a beautiful art form that I don’t think many people know about. I found it mesmerizing to watch women and men make these beautiful baskets BY HAND! The amount of time, patience, and skill it takes to create just one basket is amazing. Now going down a rabbit hole is not required in order to make a basket wall. However, if you are geeky like me and love to see how people make certain things with their hands then jump head first down the rabbit hole and stay there for a few hours. LOL

So onto the good stuff, first, where to buy materials for your basket wall. There are plenty of places you can buy decorative baskets from. Etsy, Amazon, and Home Goods are good places to start. If you want to take a more budget friendly approach like me then just go to the thrift store. All of my baskets came from different thrift stores. I told my grandma I wanted to make this wall and she went out and got me a bunch of baskets from thrift stores in Maryland. I do think buying your items from the thrift store will take a bit more prep and shopping to find the perfect combination but the final cost will be worth it. I think I paid about $20-25 for all the baskets on my wall.

I do think in order for the basket wall to flow and look cute you need to have the perfect combo of colors, shapes, and sizes. In the end I didn’t use every single basket I bought because some of them just didn’t flow, or the colors didn’t work when I laid everything out.

Follow these steps and tips to create your very own accent basket wall.

First decide where you want the baskets to go. This will make it much easier when it comes time to shop for your baskets because you will know what sizes and shapes will work best for you. If you are doing a small area then you won’t need that many baskets and you may not opt for huge ones and vice versa.

Choose a color scheme (optional) Most thrifted baskets are shades of brown and tan which can very much be the color scheme. Depending on your space you may want to choose a color scheme so that the basket wall will tie in with your other decor. This was my case. I knew I wanted a splash of black in my basket wall and I didn’t use the basket that was colorful because it just didn’t go.

Once you have all your baskets lay them out on the floor and play with the layout until you are happy with the look. This took me a while because the space I wanted to cover was kind of big. Every time I laid the baskets out I felt I was missing something. I wanted an accent wall of baskets above my couch so this was kind of a big area to fill. Some layout options are having the baskets clustered together with no spaces in between, leaving spaces, curving your baskets, or having them go from big to small in some kind of way.

Other items besides baskets to add to the wall. You may find you need a few “filler baskets/items” to go on your wall to make it look full.

Tiny Baskets– Small baskets in weird shapes are good for fillers. The leaf shaped basket, oval shaped basket, and another small random circle thingy are what used to fill in my mines.

Placemats– Two of the items on my wall are actually hard placemats from the Goodwill. Target and Walmart have cute placemats that could work as well.

Serving trays– These are great because they are usually flat, lightweight, and come in a variety of shapes, colors, and textures.

Faux or Real Greenery– A couple of the basket walls I saw did incorporate some greenery. Real plants may be a bit hard to maintain for this project. If you want to use real plants make sure your basket wall is in a place that gets sunlight, and you are still able to water the plant without making a mess. Faux plants may be less of a hassle for this. Buy your favorite faux plant/greenery and place in or around one or two of the baskets.

Make your own– Of course you can make some other accents which I did, and they are pictured below. Those items were made using rope from the dollar tree, a glue gun, cardboard, and brown raffia from Michaels.

Hang your baskets! Now it’s time to put the basket wall together! It is helpful if you have a friend for this part! I didn’t have anyone available to help so I just did the best I could hanging these baskets by myself. I thought I would be able to hang all these baskets with command strips but because of the texture most of the command strips wouldn’t adhere to the baskets. So to hang most of the baskets I ended up using a very tiny nail and hammer.

How do you think the basket wall turned out?? Would you try this? Let me know if you have any questions! Follow me on IG @itsnichelleb!